Bear mauls boy in race

A TEENAGE boy has been mauled to death by a bear during a popular trail running race.

Patrick Cooper, 16, had just passed the halfway point of the race in Alaska when he made a frantic phone call to his family to say he was being chased by a large black bear.

His brother alerted race organisers who began a search. His body was found being guarded by the 113kg bear, which was then shot by rangers but survived and ran away.

The attack was believed to have been a rare predatory move, not a defensive action such as when a female bear will protect her cubs.